No. 3 Tar Heels Outshoot No. 2 Hoosiers But Fall Late, 1-0

Sunday, August 26

Cary, NC (WakeMed)

7:30 p.m.

North Carolina

1-1

Indiana

1-1

Indiana

North Carolina

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

August 26, 2018 | Men's Soccer

Box Score Season Stats Play By Play Box Score

By: T.J. Scholl

Cary, N.C. – No. 3 North Carolina fell to No. 2 Indiana,1-0, after giving up a goal in the 88th minute off a free kick as the Hoosiers handed the Tar Heels their first loss of the season. The Tar Heels outshot the Hoosiers 11-3 over the full 90 minutes and created more goal scoring opportunities, but came away empty in the tightly contested match.

The Tar Heels came out firing on Sunday against Indiana with a flurry of chances in the first half. Jelani Pieters, Gio Montesdeoca and Jack Skahan all had multiple shots on goal in the first 45 minutes, but a stingy Indiana defense stymied any opportunity. Carolina ended up outshooting the Hoosiers 9-2 in the first half, which was more shots than the Tar Heels tallied in last year's NCAA Men's College Cup semifinal as they finished with eight.

To start the second half Montesdeoca got the crowd on its feet early with near wonder strike in the 48^th minute. The forward found himself with the ball 40 yards out, picked his head up to see the keeper off his line, and let it fly but it clanked off the crossbar to the groans of the Tar Heel fans. Montesdeoca once again almost put the Tar Heels up in the 81st minute when he found himself inside the box with the ball at his feet, but before he could pull the trigger on the shot, the Indiana defense recovered to win the ball back.

Over the course of the last 30 minutes the tempo from both sides increased as they were looking to score the go ahead goal, but it was Indiana who would take the lead in the 88th minute off a free kick. After drawing the foul 25 yards outside the box, Trevor Swartz sent the free kick in to the box where it found the head of AJ Palazzolo who finished it over the outstretched arms of James Pyle for the game-winning goal.

The Tar Heels made a late push over the final two minutes, but it wasn't enough as Indiana walked away with its first win of the year.

Carolina will be back in action on Friday, Aug. 31 at 7 p.m. as they travel to William & Mary for the first road test of the season.